A Game Changer
by K-the-Queen-of-Typos
Summary: Summary: If Mina simply knew the truth, if she knew what started it all, how much different would our beloved fourth book of the An Unfortunate Fairy Tale collection be? (Under a new username, but this account and fanfiction still belongs to K-Chan's Kisses) Warning: this contains spoilers to Reign
1. Chapter 1

A Game Changer

**Summary: If Mina simply knew the truth, if she knew what started it all, how much different would our beloved fourth book of the ****An Unfortunate Fairy Tale ****collection be? (Under a new username, but this account and fanfiction still belongs to K-Chan's Kisses)**

**Warning: this contains spoilers to ****Reign**

Mina's POV

I watch Teague rip across the sky, a flame more energetic than the sun trailing behind him, as he goes to the castle in order to help _me_. This is only the beginning of my journey and I'm already racked with guilt. How is it possible for Teague to go from a caring, loving gentleman to, well, _pure_ evil? Ever said that a betrayal caused him to become the way his is, but what could've been that potent to the point of creating a mass murderer?

A bright light catches my eye and I groan. I quickly step into my illuminating class slippers just in time for the light to become almost blinding and a quiet _'pop'_ pushes me back to where I belong.

…

My body feels hot and rubbery by the time I appear on the country club driveway; and my legs, which were perfectly fine a second ago, collapse beneath me within seconds of being back. Brody, who stands where I left him, rushes over to me as quickly as he can to help me up.

"What just happened? You disappeared, and now you're here again. Where'd you go?" He brushes my skin as he helps me up and jerks his hand back, "You're burning up! Are you okay?"

"It'll pass, just give me a second," I say, waving him off absentmindedly. I guess going into the past makes me feel like what took the Titanic down, and shooting into the future makes me feel like Mt. Vesuvius? At least now I know how to dress for the occasion.

I let Brody lead me into the country club to the private sitting room as my thoughts overtake me. These stupid shoes aren't working. It sent me to Teague when he needed a friend to rant to. Granted, I made him feel better, so I did do something on my short trip, but that wasn't what I was supposed to do! Tears well up in my eyes as realization hits: I'm a failure! My family's going to die because these freaking shoes can't do their job well enough to give me a chance to even start what I was going to do!

"Are you alright," Brody asks, wrapping his strong arms around me. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I went back in time. The shoes did it. I was supposed to help my ancestors and save myself and my family from disappearing."

It took Brody a minute to let what I said sink in, and when it did, his voice became low and his response slow, "you knew the shoes did this? That they would take you back in time? When were you going to tell me?"

"Soon. After tonight. I don't know. I was just given them today, and no one told me when they would work—only that they needed to charge. Then—" I dramatically wave my arms in the air, "—poof I would go. But they sent me to the wrong time. I was nowhere near where I should have been. In fact I was on the wrong plane entirely."

His eyes narrowed, "exactly where'd you end up?"

"On the Fae plane. I was attacked by a griffin. But don't worry. I was saved. By another griffin. A griffin I was supposed to kill, actually, because it was actually Teague, the guy who shape-shifted into a wolf and tried to take a chunk out of you. We had a heart to heart before I left. He's pretty gentlemanly right now, so I must've caught him before he got his evil highlights done. Right now he's looking for my ride home."

Brody looked down right pissed. I'm not sure if that's because I went on another quest without telling him—thought it's not like I had time to prepare, myself—or the fact that I had a nice little chat with the dude who tried to eat him—well I doubt Teague would eat him, just severely dismember him.

"Take the shoes off," he demanded.

"I can't. I need to be ready in case they work again. In fact, give me your phone. I need to call Mei."

His lips thinned in frustration, but he let me have his phone anyway. I quickly dialed Mei's number and she picked up on the second ring.

"Mei, it's me. It didn't work. I didn't fix anything." I rush out, "I've doomed everyone."

"Mina, Mina. Calm down, okay?" There was muffled whispering, but I could still hear the words 'change her mind' somewhat clearly. "You're on speaker now." Mei's voice sounded farther away. "Constance is here."

I put them on speaker phone, too, for Brody to hear. "I ended up on the Fae plane. Not the human one. The shoes are defective. Pretty, but defective."

There's a moment of silence before Constance speaks, "They're not defective. How long were you gone?"

"For a few minutes," I answered, Brody nodding in agreement.

"Then they took you exactly where you needed to be for the right about of time. I talked with Schumacher, and he explained that they can only hold you in time for a certain amount before their powers are depleted for good. Look at the heel."

I slide the shoe off and turn it over. Sure enough, within the heel is a small hourglass. The top half was filled with hundreds, maybe thousands, of tiny diamonds that look like sand. A few have fallen, but the top is still pretty full.

"Do you have time left?"

"Yes, there are still diamonds within the heel," I say, taking a breath of relief.

"Then you still have time. Trust the shoes; trust Schumacher. Just don't lose them—don't even take them off," Constance warns me. "We never know if you'll finish on time. If you don't, we'll have to try again from the start."

"Constance, don't seed doubt in her! You can do it, Mina, I know you will. You will fix this," Mei jumps in, trying to calm me down a bit.

"What do I do now?" I ask. A knock rings out in the room. "Wait a second," I whisper. Mr. Carmichael pops his head into the room and motions for Brody to follow him into the hall. When he's out of the door, I whisper softly. "I met Teague on the Fae plane, and he didn't know who I was." I turn the volume down do Brody and his dad doesn't hear me through the door, "he was so…nice. He was caring, honest, and funny. What happened to him?"

"Never mind what changed him, what'd going to keep him from changing is you," Mei says.

"Wait I thought you guys wanted me to k—"

"Mei reminded me of a very…important fact that cannot be ignored," Constance interjects.

"And that is?"

"You've done this mission before and it didn't work the first time." I can hear her running her hands through her hair and feel the waves of stress rolling off of her.

"What do you mean I've already done this mission?!" I say, near shouting. I look over see if I was loud Brody and his father to hear me to want to reenter the room. Luckily, the door didn't swing open, so I'm in the clear for now. "I think I would've remembered that."

"You're the one who started the curse, Mina," Mei says softly. "I was there. I saw you throughout the mission and saw it slowly spiral downhill. I came to the Fae Godmothers after Teague turned, where I was wasn't safe and I had information to give them that would help. You broke his heart and someone took him down while he was still hurting."

The waves of guilt I felt earlier flood over me. It was me. I ruined his life. I started it all. It was me. I'm the reason all my family members had to die. I'm the reason that my father is gone. I killed him. It's entirely my fault. I killed him.

"Tell me how I can fix this," I choke out, the urge to sob tightening on my throat.

"Make him fall in love." Constance answers. "It can be with you or someone else, but just make sure it happens. If he's with someone who can stabilize him, then none of this will happen."

A dim but still noticeable light makes itself know and I swallow loudly. "The shoe's starting to glow again."

"Mina," Mei almost shouts into the phone, "just remember that the timeline may change us, but here and now we will always love you. I love you and it was an honor to be your godmother."

The shoes are getting brighter by the second. I put down the phone and take a step away from it. "I love you too, Mei. Thank you for everything, Mei, Constance. Tell my family I love them."

"I'll always be with you. Take that as a hint, if you will, and remember this: even a spider can get trapped in its own webs at times. Be careful about what you tell people, truth or lies!"

I smile at the phone, the old saying, undoubtedly, wasn't supposed to have its own meaning placed after it. Mei's English phrases and proverbs have always needed help, so I'm glad my last real moment with her is the way it's been all along.

"I will, I promise," I grin. Brody comes through the door again just as the shoes are near traveling light. His face pales and I give him a sad smile. "I'm sorry to say this may be our last goodbye."

Quicker than I've ever seen him move, Brody clears the room in time to kiss me goodbye. "I love you, Mina, remember that if you never see me again."

"I love you too, Brody," I reply with a quick kiss to his lips. The second I step back, the shoes go throw me into the past with a _pop. _My only thought in the midst of my short travels is this: do I really mean what I said to him or was it to make that final moment perfect?

**I hope you like it! I couldn't help but make a fanfic for ****Reign**** as soon as I finished it, there were so many what-if's running through my mind! I'm still going to update me other fanfics, so if you're a fan of "Happily Never After" or "Carnival" stay tuned. **

**Quick Note: High freaking five to me because my fanfiction "Happily Never After" has a few scenes similar to those in ****Reign** **and "HNA: was published on April 13****th****, 2014 and ****Reign**** came out this November. I was—hell, I ****_am_****—so happy that I guessed those scenes!**

**Sorry for any and all typos,**

**K-the-Queen-of-Typos, formerly K-Chan's Kisses**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Last Time_**

_"I'll always be with you. Take that as a hint, if you will, and remember this: even a spider can get trapped in its own webs at times. Be careful about what you tell people, truth or lies!"_

_I smile at the phone, the old saying, undoubtedly, wasn't supposed to have its own meaning placed after it. Mei's English phrases and proverbs have always needed help, so I'm glad my last real moment with her is the way it's been all along._

_"I will, I promise," I grin. Brody comes through the door again just as the shoes are near traveling light. His face pales and I give him a sad smile. "I'm sorry to say this may be our last goodbye."_

_Quicker than I've ever seen him move, Brody clears the room in time to kiss me goodbye. "I love you, Mina, remember that if you never see me again."_

_"I love you too, Brody," I reply with a quick kiss to his lips. The second I step back, the shoes go throw me into the past with a pop. My only thought in the midst of my short travels is this: do I really mean what I said to him or was it to make that final moment perfect?_

Mina's POV

This time I'm prepared for the chill that comes with traveling to the past. The second I feel my heels plant on the moist grass, I start blowing on my hands, trying to get some warmth in them. My teeth clatter to the point that I barely hear the rustle of footsteps. I look up and swallow a lump in my throat. Giants. Great. Freaking fantastic.

"Um, hi," I say, waving awkwardly. The giants reply to my greeting by beating their clubs against their crested shields—crests! Oh my god Teague must've sent them after me. The beating gradually gets louder until it reaches a deafening decibel. I barely register one of them yelling "I got her!" before ducking under a large hand. I make to run, but my heels get stuck to the hem of my dress, sending me into a fight for my balance. The giant takes advantage in my moment of vulnerability not-so-elegantly snatches me into his hands.

"What do you want," I ask, a growl laced through my words.

"Now I see why the prince asked for this one," a giant with sunspots splattered across his nose chuckles. "We're been waiting for you for hours, ma'am. The younger ones here got a bit antsy and wanted to scare you. Peelof, let her down."

The giant carrying me, Peelof, sets me not-so-genteelly on the floor. I shoot him a dirty look and send him a dirty look. I turn to the more polite giant to ask my question, "why are you waiting for me?"

"Captain Plaith said to escort you to the palace," he answers. "If you wouldn't mind, Miss, we should start towards the coach."

"I prefer Louie Vuitton, actually," I mumble to myself humorously.

"What was that?" One of the less courteous giants boom.

"Nothing, nothing," I chuckle nervously, "Just clearing my throat."

…

We walk for a good quarter mile until we reach a coach drawn by four horse-sized mice. I can just feel my mother's urge to throw a shoe at them from all the way across space and time. If there's one thing my mother hates, it's rodents.

"Get in," the sassy giant from earlier says, opening the door to the coach and shoving me in it. I land against the purple velvety cushion upside down. My back lays flat against the seat and my feet against the backing.

"At least he opened the door like a gentleman," I grumble, pushing my feet against the carriage's walls to initiate a roll. I get to my feet the second the animal-powered vehicle sets into motion and I'm back to falling onto the seat again. Just my luck. I sure hope out-of-place hair and light bruises are in this season.

I right myself for the second time in the past sixty seconds and draw the curtains. The sun is starting to set. I wonder if Teague's betrothal has passed yet. And unfamiliar sensation washes over me and my stomach clinches at the thought. Was that…anxiety? Over Teague's relationship status? I ignore the feeling and continue to stare out of the window with my focus on the swaying of the car. Despite the situation I'm in-you know, prepping to be the Pat Sajak of "Wheel of Fae Fiancés" and a contestant of the "game" with the most powerful person on the plane—I'm surprisingly relaxed. It's probably the rocking motion.

…

There's a sudden stop and my eyes snap open. I run my hands across my face. I can't _believe_ I just fell asleep. I look out the window. We're at the castle. Or at least nearing it. We're above the entrance I used to get in here the day I ruined everything. The view of the lake and the mountains are the same as they will be in a few generations, despite the destruction caused—or rather the destruction I'm going to prevent. My attention flickers to something bright passing by my window. Was that a…unicorn?

My amazement by the elegant-looking steed is immediately replaced by the other creatures trotting by. Large tigers, Rhino-like creatures, and tamed griffins trot by with a sense of belonging. I count the carriages passing and come up with a total of twelve before my coach starts rolling. Twelve…didn't Teague say he had twelve prospective fiancés?

My heart beats harder the closer we get to the snowcapped mountains. The short-lived serenity I felt a while ago disappears without a trace. Hoards of griffons circle the palace in a uniformed manner. Their formation has an almost scientific exactness to it, like an atom's electrons orbiting its nucleus. The Fates must have been planning this entire thing out since Teague's birth God knows how many years ago. This night will be perfect if they have anything to say about it and that is absolutely nerve-wrecking. If the Teague I know now—wait would it be the Teague I used to know or will know? Oh forget it—would joke that I'm nervous about meeting my future in-laws.

I give an amused snort. It's funny how I'm pondering what the version of the Fae prince that's slaughtered many a Grimm would say about my anxiety rather than how I'm going to impress the pre-prick Prince. Odd how things work out, hu?

The carriage keeps rolling forward, coming to a stop only for my competitors—though I would barely call them that since my main goal isn't for him to like it and put a ring on it—to be announced and escorted out of their stagecoaches. There's a light knocking on the window meant for passenger-driver interaction. I slide the window open to see a young, rather familiar brownie man with a smile on his face.

"Miss, you are to be introduced soon. May I have your name and what kingdom you reside from," he says politely.

Oh. Yeah. That. Am I supposed to give him the truth or lie to him? Mei said be careful about what I say, but what real harm can come from telling them? It's not like any of them have been to my plane yet.

"Wilhelmina," I tell him, "I'm Wilhelmina Grimm from Kennedy."

"Kennedy?" The man furrows his brows in confusion, "I have not heard of that kingdom before."

"I would think so," I say with a knowing smile, "I live in a very…secluded area. No one save for royals can find my family unless we want them to."

The brownie just nods and turns back to steering the coach. I mentally pat myself on the back. I've been getting better at twisting the truth to my convenience. It's true that only royals, those linked to the Story, that is, can find my family and I, and, at this point of time, we're the ones to contact them first, thus making them able to find us. I should really try something in justice when I'm older. I'm good at this whole using-the-truth-to-your-advantage thing.

"Be prepared, Princess Wilhelmina," the man calls back to my quietly as we come to a stop in front of the castle. I smooth my dress and make a last minute attempt to fix my hair. The door opens and I get a taste of what it feels like to be on the red carpet and, FYI, it sucks. A lot.

_"ANNOUNCING PRINCESS WHILHELMINA GRIMM OF KENNEDY,"_ a loud voice bellows. A hoard of towns people are lined up on the sides of the pathway to the castle entrance, throwing flower petals, wishing me and the others well, and trying to get bets going on who will win the prince's heart. Some stop to think about my announcement, but most shake it off. I guess geography isn't required here, so if they don't know about it they'll just assume it's really far away.

"Okay, Mina. Dream it, believe it, be it. Don't make a mistake. Be like Beyonce. Be Queen. Be Flawless." I mutter to myself.

With a deep breath, I, to my surprise, step out of my coach with an air of grace to me. I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection of the marble pillars and smile. My dress swishes beautifully at my feet, letting a peak of my shoes flash by with every step. My hair is surprisingly in place and still looking as beautiful as it was on the other plane. My skin looks as smooth as the marble it's reflecting off of. A smile creeps its way to my face.

_I can do this._

**Sorry. Twas hella short. I was going to add to it, but I couldn't find a way to continue and feel good about it. My fellow authors will understand (hopefully). Things'll pick up soon, don't you guys worry. Sorry to annoys you, but here's a quick promo:**

· **_Tumblr:https: blog/kristinthetruetribute and blog/urlsrreallydifficulttocomeupwith_**

· **_Instagram:(it's mostly scenery on there) /kristin_the_true_tribute/_**

· **_Youtube: (One video is already up) u/0/112698922907030313224/posts/p/pub_**

· **_Vine: /u/1074573740513423360_**

· **_Twitter: /Kthetruetribute_**

· **_Wattpad: user/K-the-Queen-Tribute_**

**Sorry for any and all typos!**

**-K**


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